FAITH UNDER FIRE

Shot because he wouldn't renounce Jesus

Exclusive: William J. Murray shares story of faith in face of Islamic terror in Nigeria

William J. Murray is the chairman of the Washington, D.C.-based Religious Freedom Coalition and the author of seven books including "My Life Without God," which chronicles his early life in the home of destructive atheist and Marxist leader Madalyn Murray O'Hair. Having lived the Marxist and the Ayn Rand lifestyle, he has a unique perspective on religion and politics.

Just before Adamu Habila was to testify before a congressional committee on the terror of the Boko Haram in his village and in his home, the State Department finally added the group to its list of terrorist organizations. During the entire Obama administration, the State Department has attempted to depict the Boko Haram as some kind of a resistance movement desiring only economic opportunity, instead of what it is – a murderous, extremist Islamist group modeled after the Taliban.

Adamu Habila’s firsthand witness testimony would have embarrassed the State Department so badly that there was probably an emergency meeting called to deflect the critical voices that would have followed by finally designating the Boko Haram as a terror group.

On Nov. 22, 2012, Adamu Habila was shot in the face and left for dead by the Boko Haram because he refused to renounce Jesus Christ and become a Muslim. Below is his official testimony before the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade. I have met in person with Habila and talked with him. He is true in his witness for our Lord. There is more to the story than time would allow in his testimony. He and all persecuted Christians in Nigeria need our support.

I am Habila Adamu from Yobe state in Northern Nigeria. On Nov. 28, 2012, gunmen came to my home at around 11 p.m. and confronted me with my family. I thought they were soldiers on patrol, and when they opened the door, I was shocked to see that they were wearing robes and masks.

The gunmen ordered me to come out with my family. And when I came out, they ordered my family to go back, and my wife begged them not to harm me. They said she should go back, because they were here to do the work of Allah.

When I heard that, I knew that they were here to kill me. And my wife brought money to them and begged them not to harm me. They collected the money and they also collected our cell phones. They asked me for the key of the door, and I gave it. One of them opened the door. Another two more people came inside, making four in my house with AK-47s.

They asked for my name and I told them, Habila Adamu. They asked if I am a member of Nigeria Police. I said no. Are you a Nigeria soldier? I said no. You are a member of the State Security Service? I said no. I told them that I am a business man.

“OK, are you a Christian?” I said I am a Christian. They asked me, “Why are we preaching the message of Muhammad to you and you refuse to accept Islam?” I told them I am a Christian. We are also preaching the gospel of the true God to you and other people who are not yet to know God. They asked me if I mean we Christians know God. And I told them we know God and that is why I preach the good news to other people who do not know God.

Then they asked me, “Habila, are you ready to die as a Christian?” I told them, “I am ready to die as a Christian.” For the second time, they asked me, “Are you ready to die as a Christian?” I told them, “I am ready,” but before I closed my mouth, they fired at me through my noise (the entering point) and the bullet came out through the back. I fell on the ground. The gunmen thought I was already dead because they stomped on me two times and cried out “Allah Akbar” (God is Great).

Also my wife thought I was dead. She was crying. While crying, she said many things. She said let God give her the heart that she can stand to the end like what I did. Let God give my children the heart that they may stand in their faith. When she continued saying all those things, I told her that I am alive. She said that but even though you are alive, the way you are bleeding, you will not survive. And I told her that even though I will die, I have a message to everyone who will hear my story after I leave this world that “to live in this world is to live for Christ, to die is a gain,” that is my message. I asked her to look for help. And she went out. She found out that our Christian neighbors had been killed. We had one elder in my church (Jibring Matinja), he and his son were killed that night, including 12 others.

I was on the ground from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m., bleeding. In the morning, my face was swollen; my eyes were red. Before morning, I could not see anything. Around 7 a.m., I was rushed to a hospital in Potiskum for medication. From there they transferred me to Jos University Hospital the same day. I am alive because God wants you to have a message. I have a message, just as I told my wife as I was left for dead. I have a message to everyone who will hear my story. Do everything that you can to end this ruthless religious persecution in Northern Nigeria. My friends, knowing Christ is deeper than hearing of His name or knowing His story.

I’d also like to express my appreciation to God Almighty and the Voice of Christian Martyrs for their supports, in standing by my side throughout. They paid for my operation, and paid for my housing. They paid for my food, etc.

Let God bless them abundantly.

Thank you!

He is the resurrection and the life. John 11:25 says, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.”

The following is a video of the Habila testimony:

The State Department under Hillary Clinton attempted to negotiate with these murderers for years to bring about a “peaceful solution.” A peaceful solution for what? Cleansing northern Nigeria of Christians? The minds of liberals such as Hillary Clinton are in a constant state of magic think. As thousands of Christians were being slaughtered in northern Nigeria, then-Secretary Clinton issued a statement in 2012 condemning the slaughter of elephants in Africa, saying, “Attacks on elephants and rhinos are multiplying at an alarming rate.” Her statement was posted at every U.S. embassy in the world and carried by every major news outlet. Days later, three more churches were bombed in Nigeria.

After the designation by the State Department of the Boko Haram as a terrorist organization, Rep. Edward Royce, R-Calif., pointed out the significance of the declaration:

“Designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization will allow U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies the necessary authority to freeze Boko Haram’s assets and to stop entities providing support to the organization.”

Note that Rep. Royce mentioned “providing support.” Up to the point of the designation, mosques in the United States could raise funds and send them to the Boko Haram legally. Some mosques will probably continue that practice, but they will face the possibility of persecution – that is, if the Justice Department is not too busy going after Christian bakers for refusing to bake wedding cakes for homosexual weddings.

The Boko Haram has been and assuredly always will be dedicated to killing Christians or driving them out of Nigeria, with the ultimate goal of establishing a Shariah-governed nation. How relentless the Boko Haram are in following Shariah can best be described by this example told by Emmanuel Ogebe of the Jubilee Campaign:

After the first Christian president of Nigeria was elected, 12 Northern states established Shariah law. While the national constitution guarantees the rights of all individuals, Shariah is very different. A woman went to a state court in one of these states with the complaint that the father of her children would not pay child support. The judge asked her if they were married, and she replied no. The judge then gave her a death sentence for having sexual relations outside of marriage. The Boko Haram believes these courts are too lenient and want a harsher form of Shariah with more death sentences for more alleged offences.

The designation by the State Department of the Boko haram as a terrorist organization is a first step, but actions by other agencies must follow. As an example, USAID must stop giving funds to the Islamic religious schools in Nigeria that preach hatred and are the hotbeds of recruitment for the Boko Haram. The time for Congress to act is now, by cutting off foreign aid that goes directly or indirectly to Islamic nations or institutions that are involved in the destruction of Christian communities in Nigeria and other nations.

Rather than support those who commit crimes against innocent men such as Adamu Habila and their families, our nation should support those who share our values, the Judeo-Christian values of our founders.